India's coastal tsunami detection network being upgraded by Hampshire's Sonardyne

By Tom Kilkelly

25 May 2023

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Hampshire-based marine technology company Sonardyne has been called upon to upgrade the coastal tsunami detection network in India.

Sonardyne will extend the the endurance and capability of India's network of deep-water acoustic sensors. These machines, manufactured by Sonardyne and operated by The National Institute of Ocean Technology, are located in areas such as the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.

The initial launch of these sensors was in 2007, following the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami. The BPRs detect changes in water pressure caused by earthquakes in the deep ocean, enabling the early detection of tsunami waves. When a tsunami wave is detected, an alert is transmitted to a satellite buoy on the surface and then relayed to the national Tsunami Warning Centre for validation. If confirmed, alarms are raised to alert vulnerable coastal communities.

Sonardyne is upgrading the BPRs to its 6G hardware and Wideband 2 communications standard.The upgrades include the installation of low-power electronics, new pressure sensors with lower power consumption, and doubled battery capacity.

Each BPR is a customized version of Sonardyne’s subsea instrument, the Compatt transponder, known for its autonomous monitoring and measuring applications in offshore energy, survey, and ocean science.

The first wave of upgraded BPRs arrived in India in 2022, with more planned for shipment in 2023. Sonardyne are also supplying a large pool of spares to maintain a continuously available TEWS capability. These include floats and fittings for the larger Maxi BPRs being supplied, as well as transceivers for the surface buoys to communicate with the BPRs. The National Institute of Ocean Technology are planning to use the upgraded capability to extend the number of permanently occupied stations.

By Tom Kilkelly

Tom Kilkelly started working as a freelance journalist for The Business Magazine following his graduation from UCL in 2022.

During his studies Tom became very interested in the works of Irish authors including Samuel Beckett and Flann O'Brien (Brian O'Nolan).

His current role as a freelance business reporter is his first exposure to the world of business journalism. Working at TBM has given Tom the chance to really get to grips with the goings-on in the business hive that is the South East.